Image Credit: CGTN
The China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) 2024, which commenced on September 12, concluded on Monday in Beijing. The event, renowned for showcasing comprehensive trade and investment outcomes, saw nearly 1,000 achievements across seven sectors, including construction, finance, and business services.
Organised by the fair’s committee, this year’s edition was notable for its substantial increase in both physical and digital participation. The five-day event attracted 2,000 offline exhibitors and over 6,000 online participants. Attendance figures reached approximately 242,000, marking a 20 per cent rise from the previous year, with more than 100,000 classified as professional visitors.
International involvement at CIFTIS 2024 reached unprecedented levels, with the representation of global entities among offline exhibitors exceeding 20 per cent. Over 460 companies from the Fortune Global 500 and leading industry figures were present. The fair also saw a record 85 countries and international organisations setting up exhibits, with 13 of these participating independently for the first time.
The focus of this year’s fair was on innovative and smart services. The event highlighted cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, the metaverse, and 6G. More than 200 integrated innovative results related to digital, intelligent, and green services were introduced, underscoring the fair’s commitment to fostering new quality productive forces.
Wang Bo, Deputy Director of the Department of Trade in Services and Commercial Services at the Ministry of Commerce, underscored CIFTIS’s role in promoting openness, deepening cooperation, and driving innovation. At the closing press conference, Wang reaffirmed China’s dedication to using the trading platform to boost high-quality service trade development and enhance global cooperation.